Lac Flammarion is a volcanic crater lake in Guadeloupe,[2] which straddles the communes of Gourbeyre and Capesterre. It is situated at an altitude of 1,103 metres (3,619 ft), and measures 90 metres (300 ft) by 70 metres (230 ft).[1]

Lac Flammarion
A crater covered in tropical vegetation, with a lake in the middle. The photo is taken from above.
View of Lac Flammarion in the crater of Citerne.
Lac Flammarion is located in Guadeloupe
Lac Flammarion
Lac Flammarion
Location within Guadeloupe
Coordinates16°02′01″N 61°39′21″W / 16.03361°N 61.65583°W / 16.03361; -61.65583
TypeVolcanic crater lake
precipitation
None (evaporation and infiltration)
Basin countriesGuadeloupe, Département d'outre-mer, France
Max. length0.09 km (0.056 mi)[1]
Max. width0.07 km (0.043 mi)[1]
Surface elevation
1,103 m (3,619 ft)[1]

The lake is entirely filled by rainfall, which is usually about 8,000 millimetres (310 in) per year. The water is acidic with a pH ranging between 4.5 and 5. Its temperature ranges between 18 and 19 °C.

Flammarion is free of vegetation, but rather rare species that prefer the acidic conditions grow on its shores, such as Blechnum l'herminieri, Isachne rigidifolia and Juncus guadeloupensis, an endemic species of rush.[3]

The crater was named by the famous alpinist Mr. Camille Thionville, chef du service de l'Enregistrement et des Domaines.[2]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 (in French) Basse-Terre, la Soufrière, les Saintes, parc national de la Guadeloupe: 4605GT. IGN & Institut national de l'information géographique et forestière. 2002.
  2. 1 2 Astronomie et Bulletin de la Société astronomique de France (in French). Société astronomique de France. 1913.
  3. Philippe Joseph, Écosystèmes forestiers des Caraïbes, Karthala, 2009, ISBN 9782811100902